Here's some fantasy map I'm drawing/sketching, I figured I could open a WIP thread for it. Pretty much already an advanced WIP but there's still a lot to draw and quite huge work for coloring the whole map in some next steps. Some stuff, like rivers or coastlines is rather some placeholder atm. As usual, comments are welcome.

59558

Schwarzkreuz

12-04-2013, 01:03 PM

I like all the small little details. Nicely rendered so far, but true, the colors will add a lot to the map if aplied in an interesting way.

Lingon

12-04-2013, 01:06 PM

Very cool… It amazes me how versatile you are with style.

tainotim

12-04-2013, 01:27 PM

I'm speechless. This is a absolutely stunning piece so far. Just ... wow! Can't wait to see this progress!

arsheesh

12-04-2013, 02:28 PM

I'm beginning to get really excited about this!

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

feanaaro

12-04-2013, 03:00 PM

Amazing work. Where the forest meets the cliffs, I get a little bit of "inverted perspective" feeling, i.e., as if the cliff did go down instead than up. Maybe it's just my twisted mind.

Falconius

12-04-2013, 03:54 PM

Amazing work. Where the forest meets the cliffs, I get a little bit of "inverted perspective" feeling, i.e., as if the cliff did go down instead than up. Maybe it's just my twisted mind.
I managed to do that too after I saw you mention it, but it doesn't stay because of the shifts in the cliff in either direction.

OT: This map is really beautiful so far. Love to see how you go about colouring it.

tinyaltar

12-04-2013, 04:39 PM

Very nice!

Eilathen

12-04-2013, 06:38 PM

Nice teaser! Very much looking forward to seeing this unfold, Max. The mountains are awesome. I will have to see how these forests will come along.

Neyjour

12-05-2013, 12:32 AM

I can't wait to see more of this one! LOVE the mix of mountains and canyons/cliffs. This is going to look absolutely stunning in colour! :)

Diamond

12-05-2013, 01:42 AM

What can I say that hasn't been said? :D Keep it up!

Caenwyr

12-05-2013, 04:20 AM

Once again an amazing map, Max, and pretty different from your usual style! I love it already!

- Max -

12-05-2013, 06:32 AM

Thanks much guys :)
@ Feanaaro : I don't really notice the issue you're seeing :/
@ Lingon/Caenwyr : I don't really like being stucked in only one way when it's about doing maps. I have rather some intuitive way of working on maps, hence many styles/experiments. Sure I can redo some styles I've done, for commissioned works for instance, but if it was only about personnal works, I would almost change way of doing on every map :D Perhaps until I find something that let me enough room/flexibility to be adapted to many maps without being boring :)

Ilanthar

12-05-2013, 06:35 AM

A lot have already been said, so I just add a special mention for the menhirs :D

- Max -

12-05-2013, 12:09 PM

Hehe thanks Ilanthar!

WillyWombat

12-05-2013, 06:12 PM

Gracious... this is all digital, correct?

Schwarzkreuz

12-06-2013, 03:29 AM

Yes its directly painted digital, As far as i can see. Traditional linework has a different feel to it.

- Max -

12-06-2013, 07:24 AM

Indeed, this is digitally hand-drawn with a graphic tablet.

Klaus van der Kroft

12-06-2013, 07:49 AM

That's gorgeous!

Schwarzkreuz

12-06-2013, 07:53 PM

Any take on the Colors yet?

- Max -

12-06-2013, 08:09 PM

I won't start the coloring job until all the drawing is done. Be patient, I didn't start it for that long and only worked on it since monday, you know that :D

Schwarzkreuz

12-06-2013, 09:52 PM

I won't start the coloring job until all the drawing is done. Be patient, I didn't start it for that long and only worked on it since monday, you know that :D

That was only a teasing insider joke of me. ;)
Beg your Pardon, but you know how I call you. Maxim.um Speed.

- Max -

12-07-2013, 05:25 PM

Hehe, unfortunately I didn't find the time to work on it lately.

Lingon

12-08-2013, 05:11 AM

Gotta love that "lately" for you is three days :D

- Max -

12-09-2013, 05:32 AM

A few progress here and there...

59623

Neyjour

12-09-2013, 01:15 PM

I just noticed that arch of spikes! Rock formations or a dragon's ribcage? :)

- Max -

12-09-2013, 06:14 PM

In my mind it was some fossil skeleton of a huge creature :D

Ilanthar

12-10-2013, 06:42 AM

Oh yes!! I hadn't saw it! That makes me think of many things and I definitely like it.

Schwarzkreuz

12-10-2013, 12:27 PM

I like the huge variation of landscapes

- Max -

12-28-2013, 02:41 PM

Thanks Ilanthar and SK :) Still have some linework to do but I felt the urge to start the coloring work on it :)

59969

Lingon

12-29-2013, 04:48 AM

Looks brilliant, I especially like what you did on the plains. The mountains and cliffs are fantastic too. The only thing I'm not sure about is the forests, I think the highlights are a bit strong maybe?

Neyjour

12-29-2013, 10:52 AM

Gorgeous colour-job Max! That is looking soooo beautiful! :)

I do agree with Lingon about the highlights, though. But to me it's more the colour of them that looks a bit wrong, rather than the actual brightness. They seem to be too similar in colour to the ground the forest is on, like perhaps you've shaded the trees but left out random sections, so the actual ground/colour is still showing through? Maybe you could try colouring in those "highlights" with a pale green (rather than that pale brown/beige), or just darken them up entirely using the same colours you've used for the rest of the forest shading.

EDIT: Looking at it again, it seems like those highlights are greenish rather than brown (it's kind of hard for me to tell - must be my eyes!). :P So I guess I'd suggest just darkening them up a bit, so there's more contrast between the forests and the terrain. :)

Bogie

12-29-2013, 12:02 PM

Great map Max, I do like the coloring!

- Max -

12-29-2013, 12:56 PM

Thanks guys :)
@ Neyjour, actually, I've added shade and light aswell over the forest color.
I very slightly reduced the opacity of forest highlights (and shades aswell, the contrast was maybe too high). Here are the new (left) and the previous (right) version for comparison:

59990 59989

Thoughts?

Neyjour

12-30-2013, 03:03 PM

I definitely prefer the new one, with the subtler highlights. :)

Eilathen

12-30-2013, 03:23 PM

Hmm i guess the one entitled wip3 is more to my liking.

- Max -

12-30-2013, 05:33 PM

So previous version : 1, new version : 1... well :D

Falconius

12-30-2013, 07:02 PM

I prefer the lighter one since the line work is clearer and the highlights not so glaring.

- Max -

12-31-2013, 11:30 AM

Thanks for the reply Falconius, yes I'll think I'll go with this one :)

Lingon

01-02-2014, 04:33 AM

The new with toned down highlights is much better, I think :) The small change did a lot of difference, the forests are much more coherent with the rest.

- Max -

01-03-2014, 06:37 PM

Thank you Lingon. Indeed I'll definitely go with this version :)

Salama

01-03-2014, 07:32 PM

Max, this looks absolutely amazing! Hauntingly beautiful work =).

- Max -

01-05-2014, 07:55 PM

Thanks Salama. Hopefully I'll find time soon to work on it again.

Falconius

01-29-2014, 03:20 PM

I've been looking here for some inspiration lately and you know the initial line work on this map is just so clean, simple, and beautiful, I can't decide if the painted version takes away or adds to the overall project.

- Max -

01-30-2014, 06:58 AM

Ah well I don't know, I guess we'll be able to say that when the whole coloring work will be finished :D Which won't be soon since I didn't worh that much on it lately.